Drill sparks panic at Karipur airport

Malappuram: Panic prevailed at Karipur airport and its environs as a surprise emergency alert was sounded giving rise to speculations that an Airbus flight with many passengers on board was in distress and it would make a forced landing due to technical snag.

The speculation gained currency as such emergency landings in Kerala airports had of late become quite frequent. But this time it was a mock drill aimed at testing the efficacy of the personnel related to emergency situations at the airport.

Fire Service and police personnel, who rushed to the tarmac immediately from the nearby areas heaved a sigh of relief on hearing that it was only a mock drill.

Airport Director I. Veeraswamy later told newsmen that the drill was conducted as a routine exercise as per the instructions of the Civil Aviation Ministry.

He said as part of the drill, hospitals and police stations in the nearby localities were alerted and ambulances were summoned to the airport to provide emergency services.

It was mandatory that such drills should be conducted by the airports at least once in two years to check the efficacy of emergency services, he said.

Deputy Commandant of Central Industrial Security Forces, H.K. Dutta, in charge of the airport security said even he was not aware that a mock drill would be held.